Should You Hike in Boots or Trail Runners?

When I started hiking, large leather boots were nan only existent option. They were burly, stiff, and difficult to break in, but 1 brace would past you decades. Technology has mercifully caught up, however. If you caput to nan trails today, astir hikers and backpackers are opting for much lightweight, low-cut options. While an influx of caller shoes from brands for illustration Hoka, Merrell, Danner, and Salomon has transformed nan footwear industry, that doesn’t mean nan hiking footwear has had its day. It conscionable depends connected what you’re looking to do and erstwhile you’re doing it.

Which shoes should you prime to spell retired for nan day? I tested countless pairs of great hiking boots, way runners, and hiking shoes, crossed a assortment of terrain, from wood trails and coastal paths to precocious alpine terrain. To get a amended knowing of nan differences betwixt nan galore options available—and which is correct for you—I grilled Ingrid Johnson, a starring footwear merchandise master astatine REI. (For what it's worth, Johnson's individual proposal is nan Salomon XA Pro).

When you’ve chosen your adjacent brace of way moving shoes (or hiking boots), beryllium judge to cheque retired much of WIRED's outdoor guides, for illustration nan Best Running Shoes, Best Puffer Jackets, and Best Hiking Backpacks.

Here’s When You Need Boots

If you're carrying a dense battalion complete unsmooth terrain, aliases if it's bedewed aliases snowy, you request hiking boots. They thin to beryllium higher astatine nan ankle, pinch stiff midsoles and protective toed caps, and they are mostly made from very durable materials for illustration leather and reliable synthetic fabrics for illustration Cordura. Hiking boots prioritize stability, protection, and durability.

Boots mostly person thick, heavy lugs, tougher soles, stronger toed guards, and sturdier ankle support. They protect you from stone impact, uneven ground, moisture, and often colder conditions. The high-cut designs besides connection much ankle support, thing I recovered reassuring erstwhile coming backmost from a caller injury.

But don’t deliberation that hiking footwear brands are stuck successful nan acheronian ages. Borrowing lightweight features and materials from way running, brands are capable to connection method boots pinch cushioning, grip, and stability. They’re still heavy, but featherweight compared to a accepted leather boot. Hoka’s Kaha 3 GTX ($240) is 1 of nan champion boots available, blending soft nubuck leather, Vibram Megagrip sole, and bags of cushioning. Here are a fewer different picks:

Perennially celebrated for bully reason, these Salomons boast superb levels of comfortableness and support without nan bulk typically associated pinch accepted stepping boots. They consciousness for illustration skis boots, but that’s not a criticism; nan tallness and support is astir invited erstwhile stepping each time carrying a afloat pack.

The suede leather and rubberized toed headdress make them impressively robust, they’re easy to clean, and nan Gore-Tex liner offers complete waterproofing. The outsole is deep, aggressive, and impervious to unexpected slips, and apical marks spell to nan metallic lacing system, particularly nan mediate eyelet that grips nan laces securely. They’re not arsenic forgiving underfoot arsenic galore of nan newer running-shoe-inspired designs, but there’s plentifulness of daze absorption successful nan shot and heel.

You salary handsomely for nan privilege, but nan Kopec is simply a hugely versatile, waterproof footwear for each seasons. Made from 100 percent nylon Cordura, nan precocious is very durable and gives nan footwear rather a stiff, unafraid feel, contempt weighing conscionable 11.9 ounces for a size 8.

Designed for time hikes complete varied terrain, they impressed maine pinch a awesome operation of stableness and cushioning. If you're not a instrumentality of nan pillowy consciousness of way moving shoes, these deed nan saccharine spot. They person out-of-the-box comfort, which is uncommon pinch a stiffer boot, and they consciousness really unafraid erstwhile scrambling and walking. The information successful nan bottommost and ankle is matched by a Vibram Megagrip rubber sole pinch mud-loving 4-millimeter lugs. I'm a large instrumentality of this rubber compound, and present nan lugs person been arranged to springiness nan astir grip for nan slightest weight.

After months of regular wear—on and disconnected nan trails—they still look remarkably fresh, and I admit being capable to simply hose them down to lavation distant nan mud. Yes they're costly for time hikers, but nan materials utilized do connection a genuine crossover betwixt aged and caller designs, without compromising connected style aliases performance.

Serious alpine terrain demands respect, and if you’re going to beryllium encountering snow, ice, rocks, and steep climbs, you request a mountaineering boot. Weighing 1 pound, 5.8 ounces per footwear (9.5), nan Kento Tour, from Swiss pioneers Mammut, offers a amazingly agile operation of stiff-soled support, grip, and protection. Given nan tallness and stiffness, it’s a remarkably comfortable boot, and contempt nan large 11-millimeter drop, it's easy to instrumentality to your earthy stride.

This is astir arsenic acold from a way moving footwear arsenic you tin get—it’s crampon-compatible, for 1 thing—but it does person out-of-the container comfort, and conscionable capable flex to extremity it emotion for illustration a skis boot. Gore-Tex takes attraction of nan waterproofing, and nan velour leather precocious and approach-shoe-style lacing strategy intends you tin really dial successful nan fit.